The Truth Will Out
by Mystikwriter
Summary: Brotherhood verse. "Ling is still in there. As far as I'm concerned it's only a matter of time until he finally kicks your ass out of the driver's seat."


Ed glances up from his cluttered desk when the door creaks open. He isn't surprised when Greed saunters into the room, hands shoved into his pockets and a smirk playing along the line of his mouth. Ed debates whether or not it's a good idea to ignore the Homunculus. The bright gleam in crimson eyes dissuades him in the end. When Greed is in the mood to talk, nothing less than Ed's full attention will satisfy him.

"What do you want, Ling?" Ed sits back in his chair. He puts his pen down and absently puts out a hand to stop it when it begins to roll.

"The name is Greed." There is no hostility in the correction. Greed's shoulders are loose as he stares out the window, which Ed finds amusing since he doubts there is anything Greed would be even remotely interested in. The guy didn't seem the time to stare off into the sunset. Unless it involved posing, that Ed could see. "Why do you insist on using that name?"

"It's your name." Ed insists. He eases his chair back so he can rest his feet on the corner of his desk, wincing as his normal leg protests the change of position with stiff muscles.

"It's the name of the former owner of this body." Greed glances over his shoulder, his smirk unmistakable even cast in shadow. "Notice my emphasis on 'former owner'."

"Ling is still in there. As far as I'm concerned it's only a matter of time until he finally kicks your ass out of the driver's seat," Ed says. Now that he's not focusing all of his body's complaints are coming in thick and fast. He can't remember the last time he ate something and his back is one solid ache from the base of his spine to his neck. It's been a long time since he's overdone it like this.

Al would never have let him get away with this if he'd been here, and Ed's heart aches for the argument they didn't get to have. One that most likely would have ended with him slung over Al's shoulder and pounding his fists against broad steel, desperately pleading for just a few more minutes.

Ed's heart twists in his chest as he realizes he doesn't know when he will see his brother again or if they will ever get the chance. When the fighting starts there is no guarantee that either of them will survive long enough to find one another.

"Hey."

Ed yelps, nearly falling out of his chair as he realizes how close Greed is. He glares up at Greed. "What the hell are you doing!"

Greed considers him, his head tilted to the side as if pondering a mystery. "You went somewhere else. I brought you back."

"Is there a reason you're in here?" Ed asks, voice sharp with fear and regret that he refuses to acknowledge. He will see his brother again. He will get Al's body back and he will save his country. There is no other option.

"Not really. I was bored." Instead of moving away Greed leans against the desk where Ed's feet had been. "Do you really think your friend can over power me?"

"He's done it before. He can do it again."

Greed's eyes narrow. "I was caught off guard. It won't happen again."

"So you say," Ed scoffs. "But we both know that's not true. Ling won't ever give up, not when he knows his clan is counting on him. He cares about his people too much to do anything but keep fighting."

"Caring will only get a person so far," Greed murmurs. He smiles, eyes moving inward as he stares over Ed's head. "I will admit I am rather fond of him, though. He may be annoying, but he's almost as greedy as I am." When Greed's smile widens Ed knows he's not going to like what's coming. "I can see his desires, you know. All his little dreams spread out before me. Some aren't very imaginative, such boring little things that only a human could want, but others…" Fangs flash in the heart of his smile, the sheer alien delight making Ed shiver in spite of himself. "He hungers for power, wants to wrap him self around it until there is no beginning and no end. It's breath-taking really."

Ed swallows hard, can't, won't listen to this. "Go bother someone else, Greed." He hopes using the Homunculus' name will encourage him to listen, but Ed isn't really surprised when he's ignored.

"But I haven't even gotten to the good part." It happens fast. One moment Greed is sitting on the edge of the desk, the next he's gone and Ed's chair is slammed forward. Ed gasps as he's crushed against the edge of the desk, the sound feeble as the breath is knocked out of him. When he tries to shove back his wrists are pinned across the surface of his desk, books and notes sliding off as Ed struggles. Ed knows he isn't going anywhere since he can't use alchemy and his legs are trapped beneath the heavy desk but impossible odds have never stopped him before.

"What are you up to, Greed?" Ed asks, determined to remain calm. He knows, or thinks he knows, that Greed won't hurt him. Not after Ed had already agreed to work for him.

"Such a greedy thing, our friend Ling. So strong, so noble." Greed's breath feathers hot against Ed's cheek, soft bangs brushing against his ear. "Would you like to know what he dreams about?"

"I already know what he dreams about," Ed bites out. His hands are clenched into fists and he can't help that, not when every instinct is screaming and he's trapped with no way out until Greed decides to give him one.

"Yes, he wants to be Emperor and he wants to bring his clan honor, those are all the things on the surface, the things he wants people to know about." Greed laughs. "I'm talking about the things he won't even admit to him self, the dreams that lurk in the back of his mind."

"I don't want to know." Ed knows this, knows that no good will come from learning something that clearly gives Greed this much amusement.

"Oh I think you should, one of them concerns you after all. Our Ling has quite the imagination I will admit." Greed's hands flex around Ed's wrists. "He has plans for you once he becomes Emperor, Fullmetal. He wants to take you home with him, wants to cover you in jewels and silk and show you off like the gem you are. He wants to fuck you, alchemist, wants to keep you as a prize." Greed's chuckle skims over Ed's shoulders. "I can't say I really blame him."

"Stop it." Ed's voice is thick, the words lodged in his throat. His face is on fire and all he can think about is shoving Greed away and leaping over the desk for the safety of the door.

"Would you agree if he asked you to go home with him? Would you let him take you back to his homeland and keep you like a prize pet? After a life such as yours I would think it tempting. A chance to live in the lap of luxury, and I do mean that literally."

Ed is shaking, from rage or humiliation he can't decide.

Greed's grip tightens on Ed's right arm and while he can't feel it, the growing sense of pressure bears down on him, makes his feet scrabble beneath the desk as he scrambles for leverage. "But I haven't even gotten to the best part. Even in his deepest fantasies, our little friend never gives you a full body. In his dreams he caresses skin and metal alike, kisses the scars until you're a crying, begging mess beneath him."

There's something lodged in Ed's throat, something that catches every breath and seems to be growing larger with every word Greed whispers against the nape of his neck. Ed wants to shout, to yell and scream and even better throw Greed off of him, maybe throw a few punches if the damned Homunculus holds still long enough. He would do all of those things he if could just breath.

"I have to admit that Ling might have something there. I think the automail suits you better than flesh and bone ever could, Fullmetal."

Ed clenches his metal arm into a fist, the fingers digging narrow furrows into the wood. He rests his forehead against the desk, jaw tight enough it's a wonder he doesn't hear his teeth cracking beneath the pressure. "Are you done?"

Greed laughs, a warm exhalation against Ed's neck. "Yes, I think I am, for now anyway." He releases his grip on Ed's arms and when Ed shoves back, metal arm swinging, he's already across the room by the door. He's grins as he takes in Ed's ragged breathing, the tremors working their way down his arms and the hands clenched into fists. "I think I've given you enough to think about for the time being."

He's whistling as he strolls out the door, hands in his pockets, and Ed briefly considers chasing after him before deciding that he's had enough of Greed for the foreseeable future. The breath shudders out of him and Ed tries not to dwell on what Greed told him but he can't, images and the memory of Greed's warm breath trailing against his ear and the back of his neck making it impossible not to.

He sags back into his chair and now the shakes aren't just in his arms but traveling the length of his body. He has work to do, notes to translate and alchemy equations to finish, a bunch of things that do not involve quietly freaking out in a way that leaves him incapable of anything more complex than breathing.

By the time he drags his notes closer the light outside the windows has faded and shadows are spilling across the study floor.


End file.
